10 Places To Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick’s Day is one of the few holidays during the year that very few people complain about. It doesn’t require you to buy chocolates or flowers, it doesn’t require an elaborate costume or an awkward run-in with a family member you haven’t seen in ages.

Overall, it’s pretty well-liked. Of course, this probably has something to do with the fact that it has turned into a glorification of green beer and Irish car bombs, but it’s popular nonetheless.

In an effort to help you enjoy St. Patty’s Day to its fullest, we’ve compiled a list of the best bars in the Lehigh Valley to visit this week, whether you’re looking to celebrate with car bombs or corned beef and hash.

1. Blue Mountain Ski Resort

This local ski resort isn’t your typical happy hour hangout, but that’s what makes it such a great option for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. This Thursday, the Summit Lounge at Blue Mountain will offer drink specials from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. If you’re a snowboarding pro, bring your gear along and spend some quality time at the top of slopes in between rounds. If you’re there more for the food and fireplace, then you’ll be right at home.

2. Jack Callaghan’s Ale House

Kilts and pints of Guinness at Jack Callaghan’s don’t mean that it’s St. Patrick’s Day, it means that it’s Thursday. The local favorite, on Tilghman Street in Allentown, offers $3 Guinness to every kilt-wearing patron on Thursday nights, and this week will be no different. If you’re opting for jeans instead of a kilt, don’t worry, they’ll still serve you. Jack Callaghan’s offers $2 Coors Light bottles every night of the week, and boasts more than 15 different beers on tap. With an offering like that, they’re sure to fill up fast, so be sure you get there close enough to the top of the morning to grab a seat at the bar.

3.

Green beer is to St. Patty’s Day what eggnog is to Christmas. Regardless of how you feel about the fact that you’re drinking a beverage that would qualify as foreign on the 364 other days out of the year, no one can deny that green beer is a St. Patty’s staple. To make sure you get your fill, stop by Tally Ho anytime on Thursday, as the bar will be offering green beer all day long. They’ll also be serving up plates of corned beef and hash, so make sure you stop by for a dinner that’s bound to be as delicious as your beer will be colorful.

4.

Most bars in the Valley are going to be offering drink specials this week, but few are going to be offering a full-blown Irish meal. Starter’s Riverport location is celebrating St. Patty’s Day starting at noon Thursday and has the menu to prove it. In addition to the usual pub fare, the bar will offer an Irish-themed menu featuring corned beef and cabbage, Irish stew with soda bread, and bangers and mash. If you’re not ready to give up your burger and fries, then at least save a little room for one of their specialty desserts, including Bailey’s Chocolate Cake with Guinness Ice Cream and Carbomb Cheesecake. Just there for the drinks? Check out the Starter’s Riverport Facebook page for a full list of specials.

5. Sangria in Allentown

Unfortunately, St. Patrick’s Day isn’t one of those lucky get-out-of-work holidays, so most people won’t be able to take advantage of the all-day food and drink specials until after the workday. Sangria understands that, and their 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. happy hour is the perfect way to celebrate without playing hooky all day. Appetizers and green drinks are both buy one, get one half off, so you won’t have to choose between the cheese platter and the calamari fries. If you’re looking for a freebie, don’t worry, Sangria has that, too. Wear green to happy hour and you’ll get a free green beer!

6.

Forget the soda bread, forget the kilts…you’re just looking for a place with great drink specials and good music to celebrate your St. Patty’s Day. The Firehouse in Bethlehem is that place. The bar kicks off its Green Bash on Thursday morning at 9 a.m. with a live radio broadcast by WZZO-FM. The fun continues all day, with $3 Jameson shots, $1.25 green Bud Light drafts and free green beads for every guest. For the after-work crowd, DJ Marcus will be onstage from 6 p.m.-2 a.m.

7. Trexlertown Applebee’s

St. Patrick’s Day is a great holiday to celebrate if your ID says you’re over 21, but if you’re not-quite-legal, it can be quite the buzz kill to stay at home while your friends are out enjoying themselves. Fortunately, Applebee’s in Trexlertown is offering a St. Patty’s deal that lets everyone celebrate. For the over-21 crowd, there will be $2 select green draft beers and $4 green house margaritas and 32 oz. personal pitchers. If you’re sticking the non-alcoholic offerings, check out Applebee’s signature limeades and fruit fizzers. Guests of any age can enjoy the location’s dinner deal: $5 Applebee’s Reuben sandwiches all day.

8.

The question isn’t what does Brew Works have going on this week, it’s what doesn’t it? Two of their Lehigh Valley locations will be celebrating St. Patty’s Day starting at 11 a.m. on Thursday. Both the Allentown and Bethlehem Brew Works will offer $5 Irish Car Bombs, $3 Green Ales and Bagpiper’s Scotch Ale Bottles and feature entertainment by the O’Grady Quinlan Irish dancers between 5  p.m. and 9 p.m. In addition, each restaurant will feature Celtic food specials from March 10-17, so make plans to stop in for some before they’re out. Check out the Brew Works website for full details.

9.

Bangers and mash, corned beef and cabbage and fish and chips aren’t making a special appearance on this restaurant’s menu just for St. Patrick’s Day. St. James Gate offers Irish favorites year-round at their location inside Sands Bethlehem Casino. Grab your co-workers for a full-blown Irish feast to celebrate the upcoming weekend and come out for giveaways, a live radio broadcast with 99.9 The Hawk and a meet-and-greet with the Guinness Girls. After dinner, stay for live entertainment by the Sean Hennessy Duo and The Barley Boys or try your hand at one of the casino’s tables or slots. Just make sure you bring your pot of gold along, not everyone has the luck of the Irish.

10. Allentown Pub Crawl

Having trouble choosing just one bar to visit on Thursday? The Allentown St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl can solve that. This annual event, held one the eve of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 20, allows patrons the opportunity to visit eight local spots and sample their St. Patty’s offerings. A $15 registration fee gets you into places like Jack Callaghan’s, Ringer’s Roost, and Volpe’s Sports Bar, and some freebies along the way.